Smoked Began Bharta
A creamy flame smoked aubergine dish with onions, chilli and coriander. Simple but deep
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Resting time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Cuisine Indian, Pakistani
- 3 large aubergines
- 4 large onions
- 3 cloves garlic minced or crushed
- 2 tsp ground coriander seed
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 bunch fresh coriander roughly chopped
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil I'm afraid I use extra virgin olive oil with everything - but you might prefer a more neutral tasting oil such as rapeseed / canola
Prepare the aubergines: You can do this in various waysPlace the aubergines directly over a gas flame - my personal wont
Place over charcoal or a wood fire - for the best taste
Put into a very hot oven -
Turn the aubergines as necessary to get them evenly charred.
Place flame-roasted aubergines in a sandwich bag wrapped in a tea towel, letting them steam until cooked through. 45 minutes minutes is about right for me. The longer you leave them the smokier they'll taste. But be warned, they can taste too smoky and rather bitter if you leave them over-long
Simply rest oven-roasted aubergines until they are cool enough to handle
Peel away the skin, leaving bits of charred skin here and there and finely chop or mash the flesh with a fork. Set aside
Transform the onions: this stage is crucial to the flavour of the dishWhile the aubergines are cooling gently sauté the onions in a a couple of tablespoons of any neutral-tasting oil. After 15 minutes add the garlic and a large pinch of salt. Continue cooking for further 10-15 minutes, splashing in a little water as necessary to stop them from burning. This step is crucial to the flavour of the dish. Don't lose patience. The final rich sweetness of the onions will blow your socks off. It really is worth it
You're on the home run: stir in the powdered spices and salt and sauté for a minute or two, stirring continuously
Add in the chopped aubergines, season with salt and warm through. Sprinkle on some chopped fresh coriander and serve
Keyword aubergine, curry, spice, vegan